Positive margin control attachment for sewing machines



A g 1957 R. J. BOSER ETAL 3,334,603

GIN p Filed Dec. 28, 1964 I VENTO RO/VHLD J- .BOSERQL EU5NE L. WESCHLER BYg TTLWNEYS.

g- 8, 1957 R. J. BOSER ETAL 3,334,603

POSITIVE MARGIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 28, 1964 4 Sheets*Sheet 2 INVENTORS RON/MD J. .BOSER 7 EUGENE L. WESCHLER Aug. 8, 1967 R. J. BOSER ETAL 3,334,603

POSITIVE MARGIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVE'NTOR-S RON/MD J. .BOSERi BUGENE L. WE-SCHLER URN/55.

POSITIVE MARGIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINE5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 28, 1964 FIG.9

FEGEU INVENTOR-S RONALD J. .BOSER 9 fl/G'ENE L. WEJCHLER AF ER/V United States Patent 3,334,603 POSITIVE MARGIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Ronald J. Boser, 261-79 Langston Ave., Glen ()akes,

N.Y. 11004, and Eugene L. Weschler, 288 Bel-Air Drive, Massapequa, NY. 11758 Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,311 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-152) This invention relates generally to sewing machine attachments. More specifically it relates to sewing machine attachments used for stitching tapes or similarly narrow ribbons to fabric materials.

It is generally well known to those skilled in the art that great care must be exercised when sewing a tape upon another material so that the tape is certain to be fed at all times under the sewing machine needle. In view that tapes are generally narrow, it is easily possible for a sewing machine operator to occasionally run the stitch off the tape momentarily before returning again thereupon, thus producing a short portion of unattached tape. This is particularly a problem in the industrial manufacture of garments wherein high speed production is practiced and wherein the skill and undistracted attention of the sewing machine are essential to keep feeding the tape under the needle. Thus the producton in industry of a perfect stitch in the attachment of a tape upon a fabric is limited by the operators ability.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine attachment for the stitching of tape upon another fabric wherein the attachment has self contained guide means to deliver at all times a tape under the sewing machine needle thereby preventing the formation of unattached portions thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine attachment for stitching tapes wherein the margin between the stitch and the side edges of the tape is maintained constantly uniform in width.

Another object is to provide a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines which is adaptable particularly for two needle machines wherein the needles are transversely spaced apart.

Still another object is to provide a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines having guide means for tape at the point where stitching takes place upon a sewing machine.

straight stitch or curved stitch, separately or mixed, and

wherein the stitch margin is constantly uniform through- It is a still further object of the invention to provide a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines which permits introduction during a sewing operation of straight, or curved stays of plastic, bone or wire into a pocket formed by one or .a pair of tapes being stitched along the side edges to themselves or to another fabric material.

Yet still a further object of the invention is to provide a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines which guides the side edges of a tape, which includes a guide element on each side edge of the tape and wherein the sewing machine needle or needles penetrate the tape at a point or points between the guide elements.

Other objects are to provide a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines which is of simple design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily apparent upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front perspective view of a two needle sewing machine head showing the invention incorporated therein,

FIG. 1a is a cross sectional view taken along the line la1a of FIG. 1,

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 shown in operative use,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the feed dog and tape guide shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the elements that comprise the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified construction formed with the present invention wherein two tapes or ribbons are sewn to enclose a wire such as in the production of a fabric covered garment hanger or the like,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the: present invention shown in use during the performance of an auxiliary operation comprising introduction of a straight stay,

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9, and

FIG. 11 is a View similar to FIG. 10 showing introduction of a curved stay.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 20 represents a positive margin control attachment for sewing machines. According to the present invention there is a tape guide plate 21 mounted upon a sewing machine head 22.

The sewing machine head comprises a base plate 23 having an upward extending arm 24 which carries a vertically movable needle bar 25. The needle bar supports a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical sewing machine needles 26-26. The arm 24 also carries a vertically movable presser foot bar 27 at the lower end of which there is a presser foot 28. The base plate 23 carries therebeneath a thread looping mechanism for producing stitches in cooperation with the vertically movable needles (not shown). Additionally, a material feed mechanism is carried therebeneath (not shown). An opening 29 is provided through the base plate 23 and a. feed dog 30 carried by the material feed mechanism projects upwardly through the opening, where it may come into contact with garment materials 31 placed upon the upper side 32 of the base plate 23, and passed between the feed dog 39 and presser foot 28 during sewing operation.

A slide plate 33 is mounted in the base plate 23, and is outwardly slidable there-from on the forward edge 34 of the base plate 23. The slide plate 33 has a recessed groove 35 within which a tape folder 36 is adjustably mounted. Tape 37 in unfolded condition 37a is received within a forward opening 38 of the tape folder 36, and is dispensed in folded condition 3717 at a rear opening 39 thereof. The direction of the tape 37 movement through the tape folder 36 is such that the folded tape 37!) is de livered into the area 40 between the presser foot 28 and feed dog 30 which is located some distance away from the exit opening 39. Accordingly, the tape guide plate 21 is provided to assure accurately placed delivery of the folded tape 3712 from the exit opening 39 'into the area 40. The tape guide plate 21 comprises a flat sheet metal panel 41 having a pair of openings 42 to receive flat head screws 43 secured in threaded openings 44 in the slide plate 33. This tape guide plate 21 is of generally rectangular configuration having a front edge 45, parallel side edges 46 and a rear edge 47 which tapers to form an extending flexible projection 48 at its center which 3 has a tape guide element 49 at its terminal end. The tape guide element 49 comprises a top wall 41a which is a continuation of panel 41 and it further includes a pair of parallel depending side walls 50 one of which is on each side edge 51 of the extending flexible projection 48. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the rear ends of side walls 50 project rearwardly a greater distance than the rear edge 52 of top wall 4111. As shown in FIG. 1a, the folded tape 37b passes below the top wall 41a and between the side walls 50 thereby guiding the course of the folded tape 37b on all sides except the bottom. The lower side of the folded tape 37b passes across the top of the feed dog 30.

The feed dog 30 is comprised of a steel block having needle openings 53 vertically therethrough into which needles 26 descend, and have a lug 54 with openings 55 for receiving screws for attachment thereof to the material feed mechanism under the base plate 23. A plurality of feed teeth 56 are formed on the upper end of. the block for the purpose of functionally edging the garment material 31 rearwardly through the area 40. As shown in FIG. 1a, it is to be noted that the side walls 50 straddle a portion 57 of the teeth structure of the feed dog 30. Thus, accordingly the portion 57 must necessarily be of sufficiently narrow width to permit straddle thereof. Obviously, the width between the side walls 50 and the width of portion 57 depend upon the width of the particular tape 37 used with the particular sewing machine.

The panel 41 of the tape guide plate 21 is provided with a slot 58 therethrough which is in alignment with a slot 59 in the tape folder 36, thus providing a means for inserting a pointed implement therein to edge tape 37 through the tape folder 36 during the threading operation of the tape 37 therein.

In operative use, the tape 37 is threaded into the tape folder 36 and the folded tape 3% end passed under the tape guide element 49 and into area 40. Fabric sheet 61 of garment material 31 is inserted into the area 40 and the sewing machine started. The tape 37 will be sewn to the fabric with the stitching being .at all times equidistant from the side edges of the tape 37b thereby producing a neat appearance and without the danger of the stitching running crooked or possibly even leaving momentarily the tape. This neat stitching can be steadily accomplished even if the operators attention is distracted, or whether the operator is tired from long hours of production at high speed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tape guide plate 21 will permit a straight line, square corner, stitching or curved line stitching as desired while at all times maintaining a constantly equidistant tape stitch margin.

As shown in FIG. 9, the tape guide plate 21 has downwardly bent flaps or flanges 62 on its forward edge between which there is a notch 63 to permit introduction of tape 37 into the folder. This notch also serves to allow introduction of a straight stay 64 into the tape folder 36 which is thus drawn rearwardly within pocket 65 formed by the folded tape 37b and is held captive therein by stitches 66 and 67 on either side. Thus in the production of garments incorporating stays such as corsets and the like, the stays can be easily and quickly inserted during sewing operation with the assurance that the stay is correctly positioned to pass between the needles.

As shown in FIG. 11, this situation is applicable also to introduction of curved stays 68 such as are used in the manufacture of brassiere cups 69 and the like.

As is further shown in FIG. 8, the present tape guide. plate 21 may be used with a plurality of tape folders to fold a pair of tapes 70 and 71 to form a sheath for enclosing a wire 72 such as in the production of a velvet covered wire garment hanger.

It will be understood that the tape guide plate 21 can be used without a tape folder 36, wherein unfolded tape 37 is stitched.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a sewing machine having a head with a base plate, said base plate having a recess in the front thereof and an opening rearwardly of said recess and in line therewith, a perforated feed dog fixed in the opening and protruding above the base plate, a slotted presser foot fixed 0n the base plate, above the feed dog, in spaced relation thereto, and spaced needles carried by the base plate above the presser foot and movable through the slots in the presser foot into the perforations in the feed dog, the improvement which comprises an attachment including an outwardly slidable plate in said front recess in the base plate, said slidable plate having a recess, a tape flange folder carried by said slidable plate in the recess thereof, said holder having a mouth opening in the front end and an exit opening at the rear end thereof, said folder having means for forming flanges along the long edges of the tape, a tape guide plate fixed on said slidable plate over said tape folder, said guide plate having a downwardly extending flange along the front edge thereof extending over the front end edge of the slidable plate, said flange having a notch therein aligned with the mouth opening at the front end of the tape flange folder, said aligned mouth opening at the front of the folder and notch adapted to receive the forward end of a movable tape, an extension on the guide plate on the front thereof and centrally thereof, means on the free forward end of said extension disposed beyond the perforations in the feed dog for guiding the folded tape with flanges to the feed dog, and coacting means on the guide plate and tape folder adapted to receive a tool for facilitating forward movement of a tape moving through the folder.

2. A sewing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means on the extension for guidin the flanged tape to the feed dog includes a flat top wall constituting the forward end of the extension, and side walls depending from the side edges of the top flat wall, the rear ends of the side walls extending rearwardly of the forward edge of the top wall, the front ends of the side walls extending forwardly of the forward edge of the top wall, the forwardly movable flanged tape adapted to move forwardly between the side walls to the feed dog, the coacting means on the guide plate and tape flange folder including an elongated closed slot formed in the folder and an elongated slot formed in the guide plate thereabove in line with the slot in the folder whereby access to the unflanged tape by a tool is afforded.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 590,091 9/1897 Dix 112-152 992,942 5/1911 De Voe 112-152 X 1,463,262 7/1923 Gray 112-152 X 1,989,489 1/1935 Merrick 112-152 2,549,294 4/1951 De Marco 112-147 2,593,589 4/1952 McIntyre 112-147 X 2,854,934 10/1958 Boser 112-147 3,105,973 10/1963 Stiefelmeier 112-147 X 3,200,779 8/1965 Boser et al 112-152 G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A HEAD WITH A BASE PLATE, SAID BASE PLATE HAVING A RECESS IN THE FRONT THEREOF AND AN OPENING REARWARDLY OF SAID RECESS AND IN THE THEREWITH, A PERFORATED FEED DOG FIXED IN THE OPENING AND PROTRUDING ABOVE THE BASE PLATE, A SLOTTED PRESSER FOOT FIXED ON THE BASE PLATE, ABOVE THE FEED DOG, IN SPACED RELATION THERETO, AND SPACED NEEDLES CARRIED BY THE BASE PLATE ABOVE THE PRESSER FOOT AND MOVABLE THROUGH THE SLOTS IN THE PRESSER FOOT INTO THE PERFORATIONS IN THE FEED DOG, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AN ATTACHMENT INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY SLIDABLE PLATE IN SAID FRONT RECESS IN THE BASE PLATE, SAID SLIDABLE PLATE HAVING A RECESS, A TAPE FLANGE FOLDER CARRIED BY SAID SLIDABLE PLATE IN THE RECESS THEREOF, SAID HOLDER HAVING A MOUTH OPENING IN THE FRONT END AND AN EXIT OPENING AT THE REAR END THEREOF, SAID FOLDER HAVING MEANS FOR FORMING FLANGES ALONG THE LONG EDGES OF THE TAPE, A TAPE GUIDE PLATE FIXED ON SAID SLIDABLE PLATE OVER SAID TAPE FOLDER, SAID GUIDE PLATE HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ALONG THE FRONT EDGE THEREOF EXTENDING OVER THE FRONT END EDGE OF THE SLIDABLE PLATE, SAID FLANGE HAVING A NOTCH THEREIN ALIGNED WITH THE MOUTH OPENING AT THE FRONT END OF THE TAPE FLANGE FOLDER, SAID ALIGNED MOUTH OPENING AT THE FRONT OF THE FOLDER AND NOTCH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE FORWARD END OF 